Surface roller and motor platform mounting thereon



Feb. 8, 1955 R, s. COOPER 2,701,616

SURFACE ROLLER AND MOTOR PLATFORM MOUNTING THEREON Filed Feb. l0, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l a 2.a ze 5F 5:2 Y

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SURFACE ROLLER AND MOTOR PLATFORM MOUNTING THEREON Filed Feb. lO, 1.950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. Rose/P7 .9. CooP/P BY wfa SURFACE ROLLER AND MOTOR' PLATFORM MQUN'HNG. THEREON Robert S. Cooper, Glastonbury', C'ouna, assiguor'toeGabb Manufacturing Company, Division ofThe E'. Horton & Son Company, Windsor Locks; Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 10, 1950,. Serial 1510.1435284 4 Claims.A (CL, 18o- 19) This invention relates to a. surface roller. and more particularly to a roller forrollinglawns, roadsurfaces and the like.

An object of the invention is. tov provide a. roller. which is motor driven and which;is convertible for dilferent uses by being adapted. to receive. diiferent attachments.

A further object of this invention isto provide. a roller which may be either attached. to a separate roller., having a seat for carrying the operator or to. other supporting means when wanted for use. as a single roller.

A. further object. of. the. inventioni's to provide. a construction for a motor driven roller having` a swivel connection whereby it maybe attached. to a separate roller, or to a caster for supporting the main. roller. when it is desired to be used independently..

A still further object of. thisinventionisthe provision of a novel. frame construction for. supporting a. driving motor upon the roller..

Further objects and advantages. of this invention. will be more clearly understood fromthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of a roller embodying my invenvention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentaryvvi'ew, partly in ceutral vertical section, of the swivel connection usedY on. said roller.

Fig. 4 is a side view of' the roller showing a supporting roller bar secured thereto to permit independent use of the roller.

Fig. 5 is a side View of said roller showing. al castor attached thereto in lieu` oftherollerbar'..

Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryview; in. central horizontal section, showing the construction by which the; framev is rotatably attached` to the roller.

Fig. 7 is a side` view, partlyin central vertical' section, illustrating a brake` mechanism which may be used' with my improved frame construction..

ln the embodiment' of my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, the numeral denotes al main rollerwhich may be of conventional hollowy construction andA adapted to be filled with' water in order to render the roller'oflv the desired weight. forV particular rolling purposes.

My present inventionv is particularly' directedE to the provision of a suitable frame construction for supporting a driving motor upon said main roller and which frame is adapted to permit the attachment of various devices for use inv connection with-the saidfroller'.

rl`he said frame preferably consists of a cross bar 6 having attached to the ends thereof side members 7-7 which receive the roller therebetween. A handle, preferably in the form of spacer bars 8 8, extends from the cross bar 6 and has secured thereto a handle bar 9 by means of which the roller may be guided.

The said side members 7--7 are rotatably secured to the roller 5 by the bearing construction shown in Fig. 6, wherein an axle bar 10 extends through the roller coaxially therewith and projectsfrom the sides 11 thereof through a boss l2; the said boss and axle bar being Welded to the sides 1i of the roller or otherwise secured thereto to provide a leak proof connection.

A supporting collar 13 is rotatably mounted upon the end portions of the axle 10 which project from each side of the roller and anti-friction bearings 14 are preferably used between the said collar and the axle 10. The collar is retained connected to the axle by means of a retaining washer 15 which fits against the end of the axle, is senited States Patent 0 ICC cured thereto by a screw 16 and engages an annular shoulder 17 on said collar.

Each ofthe side members 7--7 of the frame is secured to a collar 13 by means. of fastening screws 18--18 which are: threaded to radial projections 19-19 on the collar and. the. said side members are each provided with an opening' 20 therethrough which permits access to the head of the screws 16.

The said. frame further' includes a pair of front supporting bars 2-1-21, which. are connected to the ends ofthe side members 7-7 and extend upwardly therefrom, and a pair of rear supporting bars 22-22 which are also connected. at an intermediate point thereof to the side members 7-7 and extend aboveand` below the same'.

Apair of tie; bars 23-23 connect the lower ends. of the bars. 22-22 with the sidey members '7-7 and provide means. whereby various attachments .may be connected to the roller as will be. hereinafter described.

A pl.atform.2,4f is4 secured. to the. upper ends of the bars 21-2l and 22-22 and is thereby supported above the roller Si. Adrivingv motor, such as a gasoline engine. indicatedat 25, is mountedupon thesaidplatform for driving the4 roller... This motor has a. driving shaft 26. with a pulley whichdrives a second pulley 27, through abelt 2S.

The pulley 27" rotates a shaft 29- which is rotatably mounted upon the: platform 24` and. carries a. sprocket Sil which drives; the roller. 5 through. a sprocket 3l, that is secured` to said roller, and a chain 32; If. desired, a roller or sprocket may be rotatably mounted on a supporting bar 34 that. swings from the platform. 24 and is urg ed,. by means of a spring 35,. to take up slack in the chain 32;

The sprocket 31 is preferably ring-shaped and is secured to the end: plate 11 of the roller 5 by spacing means which maybe in the shape of a ring 36 or. may consist of separate studs that are secured to the end plate and receive fastening screws- 37 by' means of which the sprocket 3l: is secured thereto.

The motor 2'5 is controlled by means of a conventional flexible cable 38 which is. connected to an operatingzlever 392that is preferably mounted in a convenient positiony adjacentv to the. handle bar 9. A clutch device, which may consist of an idlerpulley 40, may be also provided for tightening or' loosening the belt 28 and thereby controlling. the driving of the rollery 5 by means of the motor 25; This. pulley 40" is' preferably mounted upon a bar 4l which is pi'votedi upon the. platform 24 and is operatedt by means of a' clutch operating lever. 42 thatis also mounted convenient to the handle bar 9 and connectedi to thebar 4l.' by means of'a't'ie'rod`43.

in the' form shown in Figs. l andV 2, a secondary attachment fork is provided which includes a cross bar 44 having'side members l5-45" thereon that are attached, by means ofscrewsV 46 and d'1, to the bars 23 and 22 at the opposite endsI of the roller 51. This'attachment fork has a shank`4'8 with avertical tubular head 49 securedY to the end thereof and is preferably provided with suitable bearingmembers Sil-50 therein.

A trailing roller El is'rotatably mounted between side members SZl-SZ of a fork which includes a connecting cross-bar 53- and a shank 542 at the end of which is swivelly' secured a. C-shaped' head 55 adapted tov receive therein the tubular head 495. This headl 55 is preferably swivelly connected to the fork by means of a projection i5-rz thereon which is rotatably secured within the shank S4 by a threaded extension :i5-b that projects through the bar 53 and has nuts 55-c thereon abutting the side of said bar. A swivel pin 56 extends through the head 55 and the bearings Sti-5i) and thereby swivelly secures the trailing roller 51 to the main roller 5.

The rotatable connection between the members S4 and SS-a, and the swivel connection between the heads 4% and 55, are on an axis perpendicular to each other and thereby jointly provides a two way swivel connection which operates as a universal joint between the front and rear rollers.

It will be noted that this swivel connection between the heads 49 and 55 is located in a substantially central position between the axis of the rollers S and 51. This causes the roller 51 to more closely track, or follow, the front roller 5 when the device is steered around corners.

The side members 52-52 are rotatably connected to the roller 51 by collars 13-a which are rotatably connected to the axle shaft of the trailing roller.

A suitable seat 57 may be mounted upon a supporting spring bar S which is preferably secured to side projections 59 on the shank 54 by means of fastening screws 60. If desired, foot rests, such as shown at 61, may be provided for the operator when the seat 57 is used.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 4, a roller bar 62 is attached to the main roller for supporting the frame, with the motor thereon, in upright position when the said roller is adapted for use without the trailing roller. The said roller bar 62 is readily attached to the frame by means of opposed side bars 63 and 64, at opposite sides of the roller, which are secured to the connecting bar 23 of the frame as shown.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 5, a caster wheel 65 is attached to the head 49 to support the roller 5 and facilitate the steering of said roller when it is used independently of the trailing roller. The said caster wheel is rotatably mounted in the fork 66 which is swivelly connected to a supporting extension 67 by means of a swivel post 68. This extension 67 is rigidly secured to the above described head 49 by means of a screw 69 that is threaded to a post 69-a on the extension 67.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, a brake mechanism may be provided for locking the roller to the frame and thereby preventing said roller from rolling down an incline when left unattended. This mechanism may include a brake shoe 70 having a foot 71, which is slidable against the underside of the platform 24, and a brake lining 72 which engages with the surface of the roller 5. This shoe is supported in a bearing member 73 that is secured to the platform 24 and slidably and rotatably supports the operating bar 74 which carries a spring 75 thereon bearing against the shoe 70. The bearing member 73 is provided with a cam slot 76 through which projects the handle 72 which is secured to the operating bar 74.

When it is desired to lock the roller 5 against rotation, the handle 77 is rocked in a clockwise direction so that it moves forwardly in the cam slot and forces the bar 74 also forwardly. This applies tension on the spring 75 and urges the shoe 70 and the lining 72 thereon against the wheel 5 and locks it. When the handle 77 is in its vertical position, as shown, the brake shoe is withdrawn from the roller, against the tension of the spring 75, so that no braking action takes place.

I claim:

1. A surface rolling device including a roller, a supporting frame carried on said roller for supporting a driving motor therefor, said frame including at each end of the roller a supporting bar rotatably secured to the roller by bearing means co-axial therewith, a pair of upright bars secured to said supporting bar, one of said upright bars extending downwardly from the said supporting bar, a tie bar between the supporting bar and the lower end of the downwardly extending upright bar for securing the said bar against movement relatively to the supporting bar, a supporting platform secured between the upper end portions of the opposed upright bars and disposed above the roller, a fork-shaped member including the supporting bars at the opposite ends of the roller and a cross bar between said supporting bars, a handle portion projecting from said cross bar rearwardly of the frame, a separate fork-shaped member including the opposite tie bars of the frame and a cross bar between said tie bars, a shank portion extending rearwardly from said cross bar of the separate fork-shaped member, and means on said shank portion for connecting a separate member thereto.

2. A surface rolling device comprising a roller having an axle, a frame including a supporting bar at opposite ends thereof, bearing means secured to each supporting bar and rotatably connected to said axle, a pair of upright bars secured to each of said supporting bars, a platform supported upon said upright bars, a tie bar at each side of the frame for preventing swinging movement of the upright bars relatively to the supporting bars, a motor mounted upon said platform, a driving connection between said motor and roller, and means connected to said frame for supporting it in position upon the roller.

3. A surface rolling device comprising a roller having an axle, a bearing member at each end of the roller and rotatably secured thereto, an angular supporting bar secured to each of said bearing members, a pair of upright bars secured to said supporting bars, a tie bar connecting at least one of said upright bars to the supporting bar to thereby prevent swinging movement thereof, a platform carried upon the upper end portions of the said upright bars, a motor mounted upon said platform and having a driving connection with said roller, a fork-shaped portion including said tie bars and extending rearwardly therefrom, a connecting member on said fork-shaped portion, and means swivelly secured to said connecting member for retaining said frame in position upon the roller.

4. A surface rolling device comprising a roller having co-axial projections at each end thereof, a collar rotatable on each of said projections and having an annular shoulder, a retaining washer secured to the end of each projection and engageable with the annular shoulder of the collar thereon, supporting bars secured to the ends of said collars and extending over the ends of the said projections, and a supporting frame mounted upon said supporting bars and extending above the roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 539,013 Wright May 7, 1895 560,684 Bunnell May 26, 1896 714,762 Townsend Dec. 2, 1902 927,322 Boucher July 6, 1909 965,990 Cosner Aug. 2, 1910 1,008,373 Selden Nov. 14, 1911 1,084,908 Starriett Jan. 20, 1914 1,305,228 Maxwell May 27, 1919 1,408,895 Lamoreaux Mar. 7, 1922 1,428,231 Hicks Sept. 5, 1922 1,452,974 Kippenhan Apr. 24, 1923 1,579,563 Newton-Clare Apr, 6, 1926 1,924,644 Himmelberger Aug. 29, 1933 2,016,774 Geffroy Oct. 8, 1935 2,314,035 Dontje Mar. 16, 1943 2,386,946 Greiner et al. Oct. 16, 1945 2,510,817 Greiner et al. June 6, 1950 2,512,148 Gaines June 20, 1950 2,514,711 Lewis July 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 249,676 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1926 

